Who is a Refugee?

Millions of people around the world are uprooted from their homes and forced to flee due to war and persecution. Refugees are people who have crossed an international border to seek safety in another country. They leave behind everything that they had- homes, possessions, communities - in order to preserve their lives. Nearly half of the world’s 25.4 million refugees are children and youth.

Refugees are defined and protected in international law. The UN defines a refugee as one “who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.”

Many refugee individuals and families stay an average of 17 years in camps with no legal status in the countries of asylum. However, a number of refugees are able to integrate to their host countries and rebuild their lives there. Resettlement is the last resort granted to those who are deemed most vulnerable. Less than one percent of the world’s refugees are resettled to third countries like the U.S.

Our Vision

To see refugee families thriving in community, security, and stability.

Our Mission

To mobilize individuals and churches in taking up the care and cause of refugee families.

Our Values

• We are driven by the greatest commandment – to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

• We believe in the necessity of local partnerships and empowering the community from within.

• We respect and uphold the honor and dignity inherent in every individual regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or religion.